On July 26, 2024, over a hundred people joined the Departmental Assembly of the People of Huehuetenango in Defense of Territory and for the Autonomy and Free Determination of the People -ADH- in celebrating their anniversary in Aguacatán, Huehuetenango, the latest municipality to win a water protection agreement in December of last year.

Speech by ADH leader in the anniversary of ADH

On this day, the board of ADH released a political statement stating their accomplishments, future actions, and demands of Congress, the judicial branch, governor, municipal government, social organizations, and general public.

We have translated the political statement, which reads as follows.

“A brotherly salute to the municipals committed to the defense of territory and the natural resources that have been determined and rejected in the department of Huehuetenango, the NO to the Mine and hydroelectrics.

The day July 25, 2006, the people, we have used participatory democracy where our people exercised their right to express themselves in favor or against the extractive businesses that attempted to destroy our precious natural resources.

This historical and applaudable event generated the creation of the Departmental Assembly of the People of Huehuetenango in Defense of territory and for the autonomy and free determination of the people -ADH- which drove forward the good faith community consultations at the national level.

The reason for our existence is based in the ancestral inheritance that we inherited from our ancestors, we make a call to new generations to unite in the defense of territory.

Accomplishments of -ADH-

• 30 community consultations of good faith completed in 30 of the 33 municipals of the department of Huehuetenango
• 4 municipal agreements in protection of Water

Future Actions

• Advocate before municipal authorities for the momentum of agreements for the protection of water
• Organize community structures in defense of territory
• Awareness campaigns at the community and municipal level
• Motivate other organizations in distinct municipals of Guatemala to drive actions in defense of territory

We demand and urge the congress of the republic and specifically the 10 district deputies of Huehuetenango to retake the initiative of law 5070 that was promoted by the organizations and peoples of the west of Guatemala which contains 12 essential principles.

To the judicial branch to cease orders of capture, intimidation and criminalization against the community leaders by part of the extractive businesses which generate social conflicts in the communities.

To the governor to support and facilitate spaces of coordination and dialogue at the departmental level between social organizations and municipals in defense of territory.

To the municipals to assign the corresponding budget so that the described actions in each one of the agreements in protection of water are fully complied with, as well as distributing and publishing them in the Journal of Central America.

We make a call to the social organizations and general public of the country to unite forces in defense of territory with strategic actions at the national level. To the international community to stay, observe and accompany the original people in the struggle in defense of territory and natural resources.

THE POWER IS NOT IN THE GOVERNMENT, THE POWER IS WITH THE PEOPLE.

WITHOUT GOLD WE LIVE!!!
WITHOUT WATER WE DIE!!!

Sincerely the directive board of -ADH-”

The assembly also presented a powerpoint highlighting their vision, strategic plan, accomplishments, and plans for the future.

Read below our translation of their powerpoint.

“Long live the 18th anniversary of the life of the glorious organization ADH!

A salute in struggle to the 5 municipalities that were the first in deciding and rejecting, in the four corners of the territory, NO to the mine and to the hydroelectric dams.

• On July 25th 2006, in the municipalities of Colotenango, Concepcion Huista, San Juan Atitan, Santos Chuchumatan y Santiago Chimaltenango.
• There were community consultations in good faith achieving 28,915 votes against and 50 in favor of the extractive companies in our territory that intended to steal the resources of Mother Nature.
• That day the peoples made use of participatory democracy giving the opportunity to our people to express in favor or against the extractive factories that intended to destroy our precious natural goods.
• this historic and praiseworthy event led to the creation of ADH, which pushed for community consultations at the national level.
• Before the founding of ADH, the struggle in defense of territory was done by social organizations

The Department-Wide Assembly for the Defense of Territory of the Peoples of Huehuetenango

We have decided and practice a policy:

• We do not have legal status, we are an organization of people at the level of Huehuetenango, also we act at the national and international level, transmitting the wealth of the experience we have obtained after 18 years of existing
• As ADH we analyze the situation in relation to defense of Mother Earth, Mother Water, and the lives of living things.
• We are a social movement with a long record at the community level promoting and driving the defense of territory.
• The reason of our existence is based in the ancestral inheritance delegated to us by our ancestors, and now we transmit to the new generations, so that the defense of territory is maintained and the people enjoy their autonomy.
• Our organization is not religious, but we respect the freedom of religion however each person understands it.
• We are political, but not part of political parties. We respect what the people determine, and depending on the context, we will periodically analysis our values and principles as an organization to support the common good.

We have a strategic plan of the peoples:

• the permanent defense of territory, against the mining and hydroelectric dam companies and against anything that threatens our natural goods.

Our actions:
–depending on the context we live—we actualize each at different time:

• The defense of participatory democracy
• For now, we use protests
• Accompaniment, training, and strengthening the capacity of community groups.
• Communications
• Memorials with purpose, or public rejections
• Press conferences
• Marches
• Coordination in the international stage
• Community consultations in good faith
• Municipal Accords for the protection of Mother Water
• Exchanges of experience

Successes of ADH:

• 30 community consultations in good faith 30 municipalities out of the 33 in the department
• 4 Municipal Accords for the protection of Water

Plans to fight in the future:

• Push municipal authorities to sign mor accords for the protection of water
• Organize community structures in defense of territory
• Political Education at the community and municipal level
• Motivate other organizations in different regions of Guatemala to take action in defense of territory

A call to all to join the struggle!
Chjonte! (Thank You in Mam)”